'And perhaps more to the immediate point - we are the ones who were waylaid by assailants dressed in the armor of this temple, led here and lured into an ambush - so you can excuse us if we're a bit jumpy and' the slightest nod to his cocked and readied weapon 'less than trusting'

Derin sighs. "If I go take a look at their bodies, are you going to shoot me?"

     "...of course not..." Pieste Mor assures them.

     "...right?"

Jax shakes the body he’s holding like a rag doll. Gently. “Here. And I am Jax. Do you work here?”

'I'd suggest you move slowly and keep your hands in plain view you should be just fine.' the ranger speaks levelly and keeps his weapon leveled.

"Yes, I work here, I'm a priest of the Blood of Vol," Derin replies to Jax as he moves over to the bodies, checking each in turn. He rises from the last one with a frown. "None of these three are guards here, but this is definitely Seeker armor. We're going to have to see if any of our off-duty guards are missing." He gives you all a considering look. "Would I be correct in guessing this is not the first time you have defeated members of the Order of the Emerald Claw?"

     "...one was tailing us as we headed to the station...  they attacked when we confronted them... that did not go well for them..." Pieste Mor says, fluttering down to land upon Jax's shoulder, feeling like combat is not about to break out.  "...we recovered a couple daggers and a note advising them to report back about us, alive or dead...  we initially thought it meant if we were alive or dead, though when the same attacked us at our rooms last night as a ghost..."  The dragon then does their best impression of a shrug and allows that thought to finish intself.

Jax stage-whispers to PM, still looking at Derin, “This man with very fine bone structure and haircut that looks like he did not spend any time on but I think he did spend time on it does not seem a threat. I do not think he will try to fight us. Perhaps he knows more about what is going on.”

Drego lowers his weapon, but still doesn’t holster it ‘Any idea why they are pursuing us so doggedly?’

Stitch climbs down from Case’s shoulders and meanders over to the priest. Standing before the man, Stitch holds his arms up in a “please pick me up” kind of way. 

"If I had to guess, it might have to do with that emergency message, but generally you'd know better than me if there's something the Order might want with you," Derin says, glancing down at Stitch. After a moment's hesitation, he picks the small goblin up, standing back up carefully and appearing to have little trouble with the little sorcerer's weight. "What I can help with is where they may be coming from. There's a crypt deep in the Monastery that's been sealed and effectively abandoned for a while, but recently I've noticed some activity around it. People going in and out, and not necessarily in priest's robes. It was strange, and I've been thinking about informing my superiors but haven't had the chance yet...so if there're Order spies within the Monastery, that's where I would peg them."

Stitch makes a pouty face and looks and points at his injuries adding a hurt whimper for good measure. Hoping the priest would be able to cure his wounds.

Performance…: 13

Case quirks his head at the exchange. "Derin, are we free to depart or shall we speak with a leader in your temple here regarding the situation with the dead bodies?"

     "...I think the superiors should be informed immediately...  and I think we should assist in that... we need answers, we need that potential crypt settled to minimize more coming after us, and we perhaps need a way to stop the shades of those we put down from returning to try to finish what they could not alive..."

Derin glances down at Stitch again, and offers him a faint, crooked smile. "Oh, all right." He (a little awkwardly) pats Stitch's head, and a few of the goblin's injuries close up as he heals 13 hp. He looks back up at the party. "If I may make a suggestion, you all seem fairly competent, and getting things through the chain of command here will take some time, time you may not have if the Order wants you dead this badly. I could show you where the crypt was, and you could get a head start on it while I informed my superiors."

Stitch gives Derin a big hug and then leaps back to the group. (Depending on who’s closest to Derin Stitch would go towards, in order of preference, Drego, Jax, and Jax). He then looks towards Drego with an timid, “I am Stitch.” Clearly indicating that he’s not looking forward to dealing with more undead or crazy people trying to kill them. But it may remove the threat of them being attacked regularly… maybe. 

     "...your suggestion is we investigate, and likely attack, a portion of this building with no authorization or knowledge from those in positions of power?" the dragon asks a bit incredulously.  "...what could possibly go wrong?  ...except being painted as invaders who killed the guards who brought them in and then continued their rampage?  ...forgive me, young sir, but the very idea seems a bit... sketchy?"

Derin smiles faintly. "You are most certainly welcome to come with me straight to the authorities instead--my main concern is that, having shown their hand so blatantly, the Order will now start throwing everything at you, and the time it will take to explain everything to my superiors and authorize official action will no doubt be used to continue to try and finish what they started. They can't really afford to let you get to the authorities now, and that may outweigh any desire to keep their presence here secret. Or they may just decide to pack up and move, and continue attacking you from an unknown location instead. I would go straight to my superiors after showing you the crypt and ensure you weren't arrested--but it may be best for both safety's sake and the clarity of the situation if you are introduced as the people who are dealing with or have fully dealt with the threat within our walls, rather than the group that has only your word until a proper body investigation is completed that it was Order members, and not our guards, you killed." His face turns serious. "In other words, to be entirely blunt, if the Order can impersonate our guards with apparent ease, I don't know what else they may be able to do to try and warp the situation to have you arrested anyway, where you're a lot easier to kill. But destroy the root of the problem, and it's a very different picture."

Insight check on Derwin:  23
     “…strip,” Pieste Mor instructs their theoretical helpful advisor.  “…we were lured here by not being cautious enough, before taking your advice we should at least inspect you for tattoos similar to our abductors…”

persuasion:  13
…

Case looks at the man in puzzlement, glancing him up and down and looking for any sign of clues. A surprising admission that he does not trust his own leadership at the moment.

Investigation: 18